Is the Internet a Public Good?

Despite the crucial role of the Internet in everyday life, 22 million Americans still lack reliable internet access.

In economics, a public good is a good that is both non-excludable and non-rivalrous. It means users can not be denied access for failing to pay for the good (non-excludable) and use by one user doesn’t reduce availability to others (non-rivalrous). Clean air is an example of a public good because people can not be barred from breathing it because they didn’t pay and one person breathing clean air doesn’t reduce it for others.

The social and economic benefits of the internet are undeniable. The recent pandemic has highlighted our indisputable dependence on the services the internet provides. It has been essential to almost all our activities during the COVID-19 pandemic, from education to work to social connection. Yet, about half the world lacks access to the internet. For the internet to be a public good, it has to, by definition, become non-excludable, that is, accessible to all. How can we close this digital divide and move towards a fair society with equal opportunities for all?

The accessibility issue

There exists a wide global digital divide in the form of access to the internet. According to a UN report, nearly half the world has limited, or no access to this resource. Even in the U.S., nearly 22 million Americans don’t have internet access [source]. Such disparity excludes many from the range of useful services the Internet provides and hinders social, economical, and technological growth in rural and vulnerable communities. Widespread Internet access is crucial for sustainable development and helps improve education, health, employment opportunities, and the local economy.

Why is accessibility still a problem?

An inefficient digital ecosystem, non-existing or poor infrastructure, or service affordability for lower-income families are just a few of the many reasons for the lack of internet connectivity. However, one significant contributor is the lack of a strong business incentive to motivate investors and telecommunication companies to expand service to remote and rural areas. Inequity in accessing the internet calls for policies to incentivize the private sector and to increase broadband connectivity in rural areas or among vulnerable communities.

How can technology help?

Conducting data-driven diagnostic analyses is essential to aid policymakers, investors, NGOs, and philanthropic foundations to make evidence-based, informed decisions to expand (broadband) services to rural areas. A comprehensive analysis, however, requires a large amount of data, which is often impossible or prohibitively expensive to collect from rural or remote areas.

Fortunately, satellite imagery and hyperspectral imaging (HSI) technology has opened new horizons in gaining insights into areas with limited accessibility. HSI has proven beneficial in many domains, such as forest monitoring, flood mapping, and marine environmental monitoring, to name a few. It has also been used to determine the level of poverty in remote and inaccessible areas. Computer vision and HSI technology can help devise strategies for rural development. Insights gained from readily available satellite imagery can open new horizons for planning broadband access in rural areas.

Loon is a Google X project that launches stratospheric balloons to expand internet connectivity. The location of such balloons should be strategically selected through a comprehensive analysis. HSI can help identify locations with most people in need of broadband access and worst or no connectivity.

Call for Action

The global digital divide is getting larger and larger as the pandemic has forced people to go online. Denying an essential resource, such as the internet, to certain people only widens the gap. Many small businesses rely on the internet to survive. The entire education system is now relying on the internet. Communities and families can only come together virtually to stay socially connected.

The internet accessibility issue must be addressed, and it must be addressed soon. Technology can help with providing evidence and possibilities, but a heavier responsibility is upon policymakers and investors to fix or just worsen the existing digital divide.

Everyone has a voice. Let your voice be heard. Tell your representatives you care.